1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a contact for an electrical connector, and more particularly to such a contact with increased elasticity to provide a desired resilient compliance for electrically connecting an IC package and a printed circuit board.
2. Description of Prior Art
With the trend of miniaturization in computer technology, the electrical connectors with an insulating housing and a plurality of terminals becomes smaller and smaller. Due to their miniaturized dimension, the terminals, especially mating beams of the terminals are easily damaged because of stress overly exerted thereon when the terminals engage with pins of a complementary electronic package, such as an IC package. Several measurements are proposed to solve this problem. For example, as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,929,483 issued to Huang on Aug. 16, 2005, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,695,624 issued to Szu on Feb. 24, 2004, is to modify the configuration of the terminals so as to obtain optimal electrical and mechanical performance of the mating beams of the terminals.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,695,624 issued to Szu on Feb. 24, 2004, an electrical connector is used for electrically connecting an IC package and a printed circuit board. The electrical connector includes a base defining a surface and a number of passageways, and a number of contacts. Each contact comprises an engaging portion for engaging with the passageway, a medial portion extending upwardly from an end of the engaging portion, a solder portion extending perpendicularly from an opposite end of the engaging portion, an inclined portion extending aslant from the medial portion, and a cantilever extending from the inclined portion. The inclined portion and the medial portion form a connecting portion having a first line therebetween. The first line forms an angle relative to the surface of the base. The inclined portion and the cantilever portion form another connecting portion therebetween having a second line, the second line forming another angle relative to the surface of the base. A contact portion is defined on an upper end of the cantilever. Thus, the length of the mating arm is long enough to be deformable and compliance to touch a pad of the IC package mounted on the electrical connector in order to ensure reliable electrical connection between the electrical connector and the IC package. However, the contact portions of the contacts are easy to slide out the pads of the IC package because of overly exerted stress when the IC package is mounted on the electrical connector. If that happens, the electrical connector can not work normally.
Hence, an improved contact for an electrical connector is required to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.